Psalm 50

SLIDE 1 Jay Kessler, a former president of Youth for Christ was filling the pulpit for a friend of his. After the evening service they had a time of fellowship with cake and pie. On the way to the fellowship hall a young man walked beside him and said, “I hope you’re not offended in my saying this, but I don’t come here to the church to hear you or the preacher. I come to meet the very fine young ladies who are members of this church. In fact, I am an atheist, I don’t believe in God.” As he braced himself for the preacher’s reaction to this shocking news, Kessler said he could tell the young man enjoyed shocking people with that statement. The preacher said, “Tell me what God you don’t believe in. I may not believe in him either.”

Turn with me to Psalm 50. This is another psalm that doesn’t offer worship, but instruction. It is directed to people who claim to worship God. They go to temple, observed the Sabbath, and quoted scripture, but they had a distorted view of who God actually is. He is not the God they claimed him to be. Though they would claim to belong to God, in verse 16 God calls them wicked. As a result, the psalm deals with God’s judgment and God’s judgment begins with his people.

The superscription is simple, it says:

A psalm of Asaph.

Asaph was a chief musician under David. We find a description of his duties in 1 Chronicles 16. SLIDE 2

4 [David] appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to extol, thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: SLIDE 3 5 Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were. . . . They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals. . . . SLIDE 4 7 That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the Lord in this manner. . . . SLIDE 5 37 David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements. (1 Chronicles 16)

SLIDE 6 The Bible also calls Asaph a prophet. There are a dozen psalms attributed to Asaph.

1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. 2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. (Psalm 50:1-3)

SLIDE 7 Asaph begins with three different names for God: Mighty One, God, and Lord. In Hebrew those names are: El, Elohim, and Yahweh.

As one commentator put it, “El stands for the might of God simply and absolutely.”

Elohim is the plural form of El. It intensifies the idea of God’s might as well as his wisdom.

And then Yahweh is his covenant name which he gave to Moses at the burning bush.

SLIDE 8 You may have seen wildlife documentaries showing two male lions fighting. The one that wins the battle is the one in control. One strong lion will usually prevail for several years but eventually he gets older and loses some strength. Than a younger lion comes along and dethrones him. The battle is for dominance among the other lions.

By using all three names, Asaph is emphasizing the greatness and sovereignty of God. It is important to understand this because of God’s judgment which Asaph is going to describe. Before he does, Asaph is setting up God’s authority to do so. He is the Mighty One, God, the Lord. He is above all others. There is no one or thing greater than God is.

God calls all the people of the earth to come before him. Asaph pictures God coming to Jerusalem to judge the earth. They come from the east (where the sun comes up) and from the west (where the sun goes down). Verse 2 tells us that God is calling them to Jerusalem and verse 3, when speaking of fire, refers to God’s judgment. It’s interesting that God doesn’t call people to heaven but that he comes to earth to judge.

In first three verses God comes with all the glory you would expect. Asaph speaks God’s perfect beauty. Then he describes the fire and the great storm that goes before him. Now, he assembles the whole earth before him. However, he does not begin with the unbelieving nations but with his own people. This shouldn’t be surprising though. Peter wrote: SLIDE 9

For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)

SLIDE 10 Asaph therefore writes:

4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 “Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice. (Psalm 50:4-6)

God commands that his people be gathered to him. And notice how God’s people are described. They are saints or a consecrated people and they are ones that have made a covenant with God by offering sacrifices to him. This covenant was made at Mount Sinai. We might think that this just refers to the Israelites then. However, Jesus says that his death made a new covenant. We are a covenant people too then. These are people who seem to be committed to God but as we will see, their hearts are far from him.

Notice too that God judges his people before the world. He calls the world to him and out of the nations he calls his people. We might prefer that God judge us in secret, without the world knowing, but that’s not the way God does it. If his people will not listen to him when he disciplines them the day will come when he judges them publically before everyone. It’s not that the world won’t be judged but that God begins with his people.

Guys coaching their son’s ball team are often harder on their sons than the rest of the team. The rest of the team may not understand what their coach wants but the son should. He’s around the coach (his father) all the time. Therefore, more is expected from him. Because we have God’s laws, because we know him and have committed ourselves to following God and obeying his commands shouldn’t more be expected of us as well?

There are two different kinds of judgment. First, there’s a judgment of rewards. Paul wrote about building on the foundation of the gospel. That work will be judged by fire. SLIDE 11

12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. SLIDE 12 It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. SLIDE 13 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved – even though only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

We are saved, but what are we doing for God? As Jesus mentioned, what treasures are we storing in heaven.

But there’s a second kind of judgment, the one most people think about. It’s the judgment that decides who gets in to heaven and who does not. Jesus addressed the fact that some who claimed to know Jesus in this life will not be allowed into heaven. SLIDE 14

21 Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. SLIDE 15 22 Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” SLIDE 16 23 Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21-23)

SLIDE 17 It sounds like this second judgment the psalmist is describing. As we’ll see, he describes people who claim to be God’s people but aren’t interested in obeying him. They may say it’s not fair but Asaph reminds us that everything God does is right. God is a God of justice. He never does wrong.

In the next section, God speaks as he begins to lay out his charges against them.

7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel: I am God, your God. 8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. 9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15 and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” (Psalm 50:7-15)

Verse 10 is perhaps the best known verse of the psalm. God declares that he owns the cattle on a thousand hills. God has all the resources he could ever need. Often this verse is applied to mean that God can then provide for us whatever we need since he has more than he needs.

There’s a story about an incident that took place shortly after Dallas Seminary was founded in the 1920s. They were short on finances the seminary almost closed because of bankruptcy. The founders met for prayer. One of the men present for the prayer meeting was Harry Ironside. When it was his turn to pray, he said, “Lord we know that the cattle on a thousand hills are Thine. Please sell some of them and send us the money.”

As the story goes, just then a Texas rancher came into the business office with a check from two carloads of cattle he had just sold. The secretary came into the office where the founders prayed, told them what happened and presented the check – it was for just the amount they needed to keep the seminary going. Dr. Chafer, the president of the seminary, turned to Dr. Ironside and said, “Harry, God sold the cattle.”

God does indeed own the cattle on a thousand hills and every animal in the forest. As a result, God can provide for our every need. However, let’s put the verse into context and examine the charges God brings against his people.

God begins with what he is not charging them with. God is not condemning them for their sacrifices. After all, it was God who commanded they bring sacrifices. In the law God described the sacrifices he wanted, what they were to include, and how often they were to be made. That’s not the problem. The problem was the reason they were offering the sacrifice.

In the 1400s there was a practice in the Roman Catholic Church called indulgences. It was taught that by purchasing an indulgence you could reduce the length and severity of your punishment before you were allowed into heaven. You could buy them for yourself or a loved one. After you committed a sin it was seen as a way of making atonement for it by giving money to the church. Some began buying the indulgence before they committed the sin. If this doesn’t make sense, and it shouldn’t, you’re not alone. It was one of the contributing factors for the Protestant Reformation when Martin Luther and others left the Roman Catholic Church. They were essentially trying to buy God’s forgiveness.

That’s the attitude God was addressing in this psalm. Not all but many of the sacrifices were made because of sin. Someone sinned so they offered a sacrifice. However, if someone gets to the point where they stop being concerned about their sin because they know they can just offer a sacrifice and make everything OK then something is seriously wrong.

Imagine a husband stays out late after work on Friday drinking with the guys. When he gets home his wife isn’t very happy. The next day he apologizes and gives her a bouquet of flowers. She appreciates the flowers and accepts his apology so everything is good. A few weeks later he decides to go drinking with his buddies again but before he heads out he goes to the florist to pick up some flowers for his wife. What will she think about the flowers this time?

If God’s people are only offering sacrifices to appease him, God says he doesn’t need their sacrifices. After all, he owns the cattle on a thousand hills and every animal in the forest is his. Why does he need more? Did the people really think he was hungry? Is that why they thought they giving the sacrifice to God? God says if he were hungry he wouldn’t tell them. If he needed something to eat he would take care of it himself. They couldn’t provide for his needs. Plus, do they really think he eats the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?

Part of the purpose of the sacrifice was to remind the person making it of just how serious God takes sin. It required the life of an animal. Blood had to be shed.

We no longer offer sacrifices. As the author of Hebrews says concerning the death of Jesus on the cross: SLIDE 18

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. (Hebrews 7:27)

No more sacrifices are needed. Jesus made the last one. All we need to do now is ask for God’s forgiveness. SLIDE 19

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

SLIDE 20 However, we should never use God’s willingness to forgive as a license to sin. I don’t think we’re that careless about sin, but an equally dangerous position is to allow our worship of God to fall into mere formality or habit.

When we were at Foscoe Christian Church a few weeks ago for their homecoming, they had a southern gospel group sing at the beginning of the service. After the service one of the singers commented how he’d wondered how taking communion every Sunday might not become a mere habit but that after hearing the excellent communion meditation he understood how it wouldn’t be. It can be though. It can be just a habit we get into without thinking about its meaning and purpose. We must not allow that to happen. But we also need to be careful that our singing doesn’t just become a ritual. We can see how ritualism would be displeasing to God. He doesn’t want us to just go through the motions. The worship is not for his sake but for ours. Commenting on the passage Charles Spurgeon wrote:

Do men fancy that the Lord needs banners, and music, and incense, and fine linen? If he did, the stars would emblazon his standard, the winds and the waves become his orchestra, ten thousand times ten thousand flowers would breathe forth perfume, the snow should be his alb, the rainbow his girdle, the clouds of light his mantle. O fools and slow of heart, ye worship ye know not what!

God doesn’t need anything we give him. He could easily supply himself with much better than anything we could ever give. So why did God instruct the Israelites to offer sacrifices? Why does God ask for our tithes and offerings? He does so because we need to give them. Giving back to God reminds us that everything we have comes from him. It reminds us to give him thanks. It’s easy to allow our offerings to become a habit as well.

After telling his people that he doesn’t need their sacrifices God tells them what he really wants.

14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. 15 Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory. (Psalm 50:14-15, NLT)

Here are the three things God wants most from us. First, he wants a thankful heart. Let me offer a suggestion, every time you place money in the offering offer God a silent word of thanks for everything God has given you that week. Second, he wants a life of obedience. Fulfill the commitment you made to God to live for him. Allow him to be Lord of your life. And third, he wants a life of faith and trust. Call on him when you need help believing that he will answer. That’s the kind of life that God rewards. He says he will. He says he will rescue you and you will give him honor.

After calling out their empty rituals next he calls out their wickedness.

16 But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? 17 You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. 18 When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. 19 You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. 20 You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. 21 When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you. (Psalm 50:16-21)

Because God says that he is now addressing the wicked we might assume that his judgment has shifted from his people to that of the nations. However, that is not the case. We know God is still dealing with his own people because he asks them why they are reciting his law. The unbelieving world isn’t interested in God’s laws. These were quoting God’s laws and rehearsing the covenant God had made with them like they were important to them. But they weren’t important. If they were, the people would have been keeping God’s laws. They would have followed God’s covenant. Instead, they are no better than those who had never heard of God’s laws. Actually, they’re worse. They’re worse because they know God’s laws and won’t keep them. At least the nations have an excuse for not keeping them.

In John 9, after healing the man born blind, we find this dialogue between Jesus and the Pharisees: SLIDE 21

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” SLIDE 22 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” 41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” (John 9:39-40)

SLIDE 23 The blind have an excuse, but because the Pharisees claimed to be able to see they were without excuse. The nations didn’t have God’s law so how could they know to keep it? God’s people had God’s law but continued to disobey it. As a result, God wants to know what right they had to even speak of his laws. They praised God’s laws with their mouths but ignored them in their daily lives. Worse, they encouraged the breaking of God’s laws.

The worst accusation is reserved for last. God says in verse 21 that the people thought God was like them, that God didn’t really care. They lost sight of the holiness of God. They thought that because God didn’t immediately discipline for their sins but kept silent that their sins didn’t really matter. But they do. We should never confuse God’s silence with acceptance. Does God really care if I cheat on my taxes? Does it really matter if I obey the traffic laws? Is God concerned when I lose my temper or say things I shouldn’t? Are those things important to God?

The answer to those questions is found in the final two verses.

22 “Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you: 23 Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.” (Psalm 50:22-23)

When God says to consider or think about what he’s just said in reality what he is doing is giving them an opportunity to change their mind about what they’ve been doing. That’s why the NLT translates verse 22 as: SLIDE 24

Repent, all of you who forget me. (Psalm 50:22a, NLT)

SLIDE 25 They should reconsider their actions and their attitudes before it is too late.

Our next psalm will be Psalm 51, a psalm written by David. We’re told he wrote it after he was confronted by the prophet Nathan concerning his affair with Bathsheba. In it David wrote:

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. (Psalm 51:16-17)

God’s word makes it clear that he seeks worshipers who will give him authentic praise from a pure and contrite heart. Or, as Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, God seeks those who will worship in spirit and truth. It’s not just our outward actions that matter, so also do our attitudes. God deserves our absolute surrender.